S  KETCH 


OF  THE 


MISSION  OF  THE  AMERICAN  BOARD  IN  MEXICO 


publisrfjcft  bp  tfte  ‘®oarb 
Congregational  House,  Boston 
1901 


THE  MISSION  TO  MEXICO. 


The  mission  to  Mexico  represents  the  only  work  the  American  Board 
is  conducting  upon  this  continent,  all  the  rest  of  its  missions  being  either 
upon  islands  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  or  upon  the  continents  of  Europe  and  Asia 
and  Africa.  It  is  one  of  the  Board’s  three  missions  in  Papal  Lands,  the  other 
two  being  in  Spain  and  Austria.  The  object  of  these  three  missions  in  coun¬ 
tries  generally  known  as  Roman  Catholic  is  not  to  attack  and  disintegrate  the 
dominant  church,  but  to  introduce  the  leaven  of  the  simple  gospel  of  Christ, 
and  to  plant  there  gospel  institutions  which  shall  produce  earnest,  sincere 
Christian  men  and  women. 

The  Mexican  Mission  is,  therefore,  a  foreign  mission  in  the  home  land, 
for  it  is  only  about  a  six  days’  journey  from  Boston  to  the  City  of  Mexico. 
Although  so  near,  it  is  indeed  a  foreign  country  when  we  consider  the  lan¬ 
guages  spoken,  the  customs  and  habits  and  the  religious  condition  of  the 
people. 

Under  existing  conditions  it  has  been  impossible  for  evangelical  Chris¬ 
tians  in  Mexico  to  remain  any  length  of  time  in  the  Catholic  church,  and  this 
has  led  to  the  organization  under  our  Board,  as  well  as  under  other  Boards 
in  that  country,  of  separate  Protestant  churches.  This  process  of  separation 
must  necessarily  continue  until  the  Catholic  church  of  Mexico  is  convinced 
of  the  necessity  of  a  morally  upright,  educated  clergy,  w'ho  are  inspired  with 
the  desire  and  purpose  to  help  the  Mexican  people  to  imitate  in  their  own 
lives  the  life  and  character  of  Jesus  Christ. 

THE  COUNTRY. 

Mexico  is  a  larger  country  than  most  people  suppose.  It  covers  an  area 
of  nearly  764,000  square  miles,  which  is  larger  than  the  combined  area  of 
England,  Germany,  France  and  Spain,  or  nearly  as  large  as  that  section  of  the 
United  States  lying  east  of  the  Mississippi  River.  It  is  a  journey  of  forty- 
eight  hours,  upon  the  fastest  express  train,  from  Ciudad  Juarez  upon  the 
Rio  Grande,  opposite  El  Paso,  Texas,  on  the  northern  border,  to  the  capital 
city  of  Mexico,  which  is  still  a  day’s  journey  from  the  southern  extremity  of 
the  Republic. 

The  country  has  a  coast  line  of  nearly  6,000  miles,  but  there  are  few 
harbors  and  no  navigable  rivers.  The  hot  lands  along  the  coast  and  in  the 
extreme  south,  while  not  considered  salubrious,  are  of  extreme  fertility  and 
admirably  adapted  to  the  production  of  coffee,  sugar,  spices,  etc. 

Immense  forests  of  the  most  valuable  timber  also  abound.  But  Mexico 
is  mainly  a  vast  table-land,  with  an  elevation  of  from  3,000  to  8,000  feet. 
Here  are  her  principal  cities  and  the  great  majority  of  her  population.  The 


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climate  is  of  unsurpassed  excellence,  and  the  soil  remarkably  productive, 
excepting  extensive  regions  at  the  north,  which  suffer  from  lack  of  moisture. 

The  products  are  all  that  might  be  expected  from  the  situation.  To  the 
list  of  fruits,  vegetables,  and  cereals  grown  in  the  United  States  must  be 
added  many  varieties  known  only  to  the  tropics.  The  mountains  of  Mexico 
are  unusually  rich  in  precious  ores.  Iron  is  also  abundant,  and  extensive 
coal  fields  have  recently  been  opened  in  the  northwest. 

THE  PEOPLE. 

The  population  of  Mexico  exceeds  13,500,000,  nearly  one  half  being  of 
pure  Indian  descent  from  the  aboriginal  occupants  of  the  country.  About 
1,000,000  are  of  pure  Spanish  origin,  and  perhaps  5,000,000  are  of  mixed 
blood.  The  Spaniards  represent,  perhaps,  the  most  polite  society,  but  the 
mixed  races  comprise  the  dominating  class,  occupying  places  of  public  trust, 
and  are  leaders  in  commercial  and  educational  enterprises.  There  have  been 
cases,  like  that  of  the  lamented  President  Juarez,  where  men  of  pure  Indian 
descent  have  held  positions  of  great  influence  and  power.  The  tendency  at 
the  present  time  is  to  magnify  the  value  of  Indian  lineage,  while  the  feeling 
against  the  Spanish  seems  to  be  upon  the  increase. 

The  language  of  the  country  is  Spanish,  although  there  are  large  num¬ 
bers  of  Indians  living  in  a  most  primitive  manner  among  the  mountains  of  the 
northwest,  who  speak  only  their  native  Indian  tongue.  In  the  government 
schools  of  Mexico  today  one  sees  sitting  upon  the  same  bench  fair-haired, 
blue-eyed,  and  delicate  complexioned  children  and  black-eyed,  straight  dark¬ 
haired  swarthy  children,  all  upon  a  social  level ;  the  one  showing  plainly  his 
northern  origin,  while  the  Indian  stamp  is  upon  every  feature  of  the  other. 
All  else  being  equal,  the  Indian  child  has  a  better  chance  of  success  in 
Mexico  than  his  more  delicate  featured  companion,  for  the  sentiment  is  gain¬ 
ing  ground  that  he  is  the  rightful  possessor  of  that  soil  for  which  his  father 
fought  and  died.  The  Indian  stock  is  sturdy  and,  when  properly  trained, 
is  capable  of  great  achievements,  as  Mexican  history  plainly  reveals. 

There  exists  today  in  Mexico  almost  every  grade  of  civilization,  from  the 
rude,  wild,  and  nearly  naked  savage  to  the  most  polished  and  refined  gentle¬ 
man.  The  great  mass  of  the  people  lie  between  these  two  extremes,  giving 
little  thought  to  moral  questions,  indolent,  improvident,  deceptive,  sensual. 
If  the  ordinary  Mexican  has  enough  food  on  hand  for  the  day,  he  is  con¬ 
tented  and  is  not  inclined  to  work ;  if  he  has  credit  sufficient  to  sport  a  fancy 
sombrero,  he  exhibits  conscious  pride  in  his  high  estate  ;  if  he  can  procure 
money  enough  to  appear  now  and  then  at  the  bullfight,  he  classes  himself 
among  the  aristocracy. 


GOVERNMENT. 

Mexico  is  a  Republic,  in  name  and  form,  at  least,  and  is  called  “  The 
United  States  of  Mexico.”  Its  constitution  was  promulgated  in  1857,  and  is 
a  model  of  its  kind.  President  Diaz  entered  upon  his  sixth  term,  each  of 
four  years,  as  president,  in  1901,  during  whose  terms  of  office  the  nation  has 


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emerged  from  almost  perpetual  upheaval  and  revolution  into  the  quiet  of  a 
safe  and  orderly  constitutional  government.  The  President,  called  Dictator 
by  some,  has  exhibited  great  skill  and  strength  in  the  administration  of  State 
affairs,  developing  in  a  most  marvelous  manner  the  internal  resources  of  his 
country. 

HISTORICAL  OUTLINE. 

In  order  to  fully  understand  the  present  conditions  we  must  glance  at 
the  interesting  history  of  that  country  and  people. 

In  1620,  when  the  band  of  English  Pilgrims  landed  on  the  New  England 
shore,  the  Spaniard  had  already  completed  his  first  century  of  occupation  of 
Mexico.  The  ancient  Mexican  races,  the  Toltecs,  Aztecs,  and  kindred  tribes, 


A  MEXICAN  VILLAGE  RAILWAY  STATION. 


once  so  prosperous,  had  long  been  subjugated,  politically  and  religiously. 
It  is  claimed  that  within  twenty  years  after  the  political  conquest  of  Mexico 
the  religious  conquest  was  practically  complete.  This  sudden  and  wholesale 
“Christianizing”  of  the  aborigines  consisted  mainly  in  a  change  of  religious 
forms,  which  did  not  necessarily  affect  the  spirit  and  life.  True,  the  revolting 
system  of  human  sacrifices  was  overthrown,  yet  in  its  place  the  no  less  terrible 
Inquisition  was  set  up.  But  the  transplanted  religion  did  not  even  retain  its 
original  purity.  Many  pagan  ideas  and  customs  of  the  Indians  remained  to 
become  incorporated  with  the  church  system,  so  that  a  French  chaplain,  not 
many  years  ago,  declared  the  Mexican  “  Christianity  ”  to  be  but  “  a  baptized 
heathenism,  a  mixture  of  superstitions  unworthy  of  the  name  of  Catholic.” 

For  just  300  years  Mexico  was  subject  to  Spanish  domination,  and,  in 
the  words  of  a  native  statesman  recently  deceased,  “  Spain  only  recognized 


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America  in  so  far  as  the  latter  contributed  to  her  revenues.  Laws  were  con¬ 
cocted  and  put  into  play  whereby  Mexico  should  not  produce  wines  nor  silks, 
nor  pottery  nor  tobacco,  but  should  simply  supply  to  the  conquerors  the  pre¬ 
cious  metals.  The  colleges  were  hidden  in  the  convents,  with  an  inquisitor 
as  the  jailer.  The  protection  imparted  to  the  Indians  was  limited  to  a  dec¬ 
laration  that  they  were  simply  minors.”  It  is  needless  to  say  that  under  such 
protection  Mexico  made  little  material  progress.  The  spirit  of  liberty,  how¬ 
ever,  did  not  become  extinct. 

Political  independence  was  declared  in  i8io  and  gained  in  1821.  A 
priest,  Miguel  Hidalgo,  now  revered  as  the  “  Washington  ”  of  his  country, 
was  the  leader  in  the  cause  of  liberty.  For  this  he  was  degraded  and  ex¬ 
communicated  by  his  church,  and  when  captured  was  delivered  over  to  the 
civil  authorities,  shot,  then  beheaded,  and  his  head  exposed  to  public  gaze. 
Religious  freedom  was  not  at  that  time  generally  sought  for.  The  constitu¬ 
tion  adopted  at  the  formation  of  the  Republic  expressly  declared  that  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith  should  be  the  religion  of  the  State,  and  that  no  other 
should  he  tolerated.  The  foundation  of  true  national  prosperity  was  not  yet 
laid,  nor  even  the  main  hindrance  to  progress  removed.  Now  that  self- 
government  was  secured,  the  power  and  character  of  the  existing  church 
system  were  more  clearly  recognized.  It  was  found  that  one  third  of  the 
entire  property  of  the  nation  had  come  under  the  control  of  the  priests,  while 
churches  and  convents  were  still  multiplying  on  every  hand.  The  unscru¬ 
pulous  methods  employed  and  the  abuses  of  spiritual  power  at  length  became 
unendurable,  so  that  when  the  reaction  reached  its  culmination,  which  it  did 
about  the  year  1867,  it  carried  everything  before  it.  The  new  constitution, 
together  with  the  Reform  Laws  of  President  Juarez,  which  had  been  pub¬ 
lished  ten  years  before,  were  carried  into  effect.  Among  other  measures  they 
provided  for  religious  freedom,  freedom  of  the  press,  the  nationalization  of 
the  church  property,  valued  at  $200,000,000.  The  Jesuits  were  banished, 
religious  processions  were  forbidden,  civil  marriage  was  instituted,  and  the 
State  was  to  recognize  no  religious  festival,  except  the  Sabbath,  as  a  day  of 
rest. 

The  Liberal  party,  by  which  these  reforms  were  brought  about,  has  con¬ 
tinued  in  power  ever  since,  and  today  shows  no  signs  of  weakening.  The 
Church  party,  though  comparatively  inactive,  has  beyond  question  great 
hidden  strength,  which  may  on  some  unexpected  day  reassert  itself. 

The  commercial  prosperity  of  Mexico  has  greatly  increased  during  the 
last  decade.  Millions  of  foreign  capital  have  been  invested  in  her  mines, 
railroads,  plantations  and  factories.  This  has  brought  in  a  considerable  for¬ 
eign  population,  which  is  most  numerous  in  the  mining  districts  and  in  the 
large  cities.  Some  of  these  foreigners  are  a  real  help  and  inspiration  to  the 
Mexican  people,  but  far  too  many  of  them  care  nothing  for  the  Mexicans 
except  in  so  far  as  they  can  be  made  to  serve  the  foreigner’s  schemes  for 
material  gain. 

In  her  public  school  system  Mexico  is  solicitously  endeavoring  to  reach 
tlie  excellence  attained  by  other  modern  nations.  Compulsory  education  has 


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been  adopted,  and  the  most  improved  methods  of  teaching  are  being  intro¬ 
duced.  Well-equipped  normal  schools,  open  to  both  sexes,  have  been  estab¬ 
lished  in  a  number  of  cities.  Only  a  part  of  the  children  of  the  Republic  are 
reached  by  this  school  system,  which  will  require  more  than  a  generation  to 
perfect. 

The  element  of  fear  in  religion  is  everywhere  manifest  in  the  cities,  and 


PLAZA  AND  CATHEDRAL  AT  CHIHUAHUA. 

there  is  much  slavish  loyalty  to  the  Roman  Catholic  church ;  but  there  is 
little  evidence  that  the  church  has  done  much  in  the  past  to  inspire  the 
Mexican  people  with  lofty  ideals  either  in  thought  or  life.  While  the  Cath¬ 
olics  claim  95%  of  the  population,  there  are  large  sections  of  country  where 
there  is  no  priest,  church,  or  religious  service  from  one  year’s  end  to  the 
other.  Through  her  own  notorious  corruption  the  church  has  lost  in  no 
small  degree  her  hold  upon  the  more  intelligent  classes,  and  even  among  the 


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common  people  may  everywhere  be  found  those  who  complain  of  and  ridicule 
the  practices  of  the  church.  A  decided  drift  has  already  set  in  toward  skep¬ 
ticism.  Multitudes  have  adopted  positive  rationalistic  theories.  Many  have 
become  Spiritists  and  Freethinkers.  But  doubtless  the  majority  of  these,  who 
have  turned  in  disgust  from  the  only  form  of  Christianity  which  they  know, 
are  now  simply  indifferent.  The  masses  of  Mexico,  however,  are  still  under 
the  domination  of  the  priests. 


RELIGIOUS  LIBERTY. 

Since  1857  wonderful  progress  has  been  made  in  Mexico  toward  the 
emancipation  of  the  people  from  the  power  of  the  Catholic  church  and  in  the 
establishment  of  the  fundamental  principle  of  religious  liberty  for  all  classes. 
These  marvelous  results  may  well  be  summed  up  as  strategic  points  won  for 
freedom  of  thought  and  worship. 

1.  A  free  Constitution  has  been  firmly  established,  guaranteeing  reli¬ 
gious  liberty  and  divorcing  church  and  state. 

2.  The  vast  estates  of  which  the  church  had  obtained  possession,  and 
which  amounted  to  a  large  proportion  of  the  entire  wealth  of  the  Republic, 
have  been  taken  possession  of  by  the  Government  and  are  used  for  Govern¬ 
ment  purposes,  largely  in  the  line  of  public  education. 

3.  The  rights  of  free  speech,  a  free  press,  a  speedy  public  trial  in  the 
courts,  and  liberty  of  conscience  in  religious  worship  are  placed  upon  an 
enduring  basis,  together  with  universal  suffrage  and  trial  by  jury. 

4.  A  system  of  public  schools  has  been  inaugurated  which  is  not  in  any 
measure  under  the  control  of  church  and  clergy. 

5.  The  people  themselves  are  already  catching  the  spirit  of  religious 
liberty,  which  is  becoming  stronger  and  stronger  as  general  education 
increases,  and  this  is  emancipating  them  from  the  unreasonable  and  blind 
control  of  church  and  clergy,  giving  them  the  sense  of  personal  responsibility. 
Under  the  impulse  of  this  new  conscious  life,  material,  intellectual  and  moral 
advancement  is  inevitable  and  rapid. 

It  should  be  added  that  because  of  peculiarly  difficult  problems  met  in 
the  administration  of  national  affairs  in  Mexico,  all  of  the  privileges  granted 
by  the  admirable  Constitution  of  this  new  Republic  are  not  enjoyed  in  their 
fullness  at  all  times,  but  it  is  only  the  question  of  perfecting  that  which  has 
been  well  begun  and  which  is  constantly  improving. 

PROTESTANT  MISSIONS. 

Not  until  the  establishment  of  religious  liberty  in  Mexico  (1867)  was  the 
door  open  to  the  gospel.  Through  the  efforts  of  the  American  Bible  Society 
many  copies  of  the  Scriptures  had  been  distributed  in  the  country  at  the  time 
of  the  Mexican  War,  and  not  without  effect,  as  has  been  occasionally  noted 
by  the  missionaries  in  recent  years.  A  woman  led  the  way  in  Protestant 
missions.  Miss  Melinda  Rankin,  who  had  previously  conducted  a  mission 
school  at  Brownsville,  Texas,  in  1866  established  a  school  at  Monterey,  in 
connection  with  which  evangelistic  work  was  begun.  In  1867  Rev.  Henry  C. 


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Riley  commenced  work  in  Mexico  City,  under  the  direction  of  the  American 
and  Foreign  Christian  Union. 

In  1872  both  the  Presbyterian  church  (North)  and  the  American  Board 
established  missions,  and  were  soon  followed  by  other  societies. 

In  addition  to  the  Mission  Boards  already  named,  the  Methodist  Episco¬ 
pal  North,  the  Southern  Methodist,  the  Baptists,  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian, 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptists,  the  Episcopalians,  and  some  others  have  begun 
and  are  carrying  on  work  in  this  country.  The  results  have  been  most  en¬ 
couraging  in  nearly  all  sections.  The  missionaries  of  these  various  Boards 
have  worked  in  full  Christian  harmony.  They  have  united  in  a  National 
Sunday  school  organization  and  in  a  Eederation  of  the  Christian  societies  of 
young  people.  This  federation  work  of  the  young  people’s  societies  has 
aroused  much  interest  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  the  annual  conventions 
commanding  large  attendance,  wide  representation  and  great  enthusiasm. 
Bible  readers’  leagues  and  Home  Missionary  Societies  exist  in  connection  with 
many  of  the  churches. 

All  of  the  leading  denominations  publish  evangelical  periodicals,  which 
have  an  extensive  circulation,  exerting  a  wide  influence  beyond  that  which 
could  be  expected  from  the  oral  presentation  of  the  truth  alone.  The  Amer¬ 
ican  Bible  Society  has  agents  and  colporters  at  work  independently,  but  in 
harmony  with  the  various  missionaries,  while  all  of  the  missions  are  zealous 
in  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  and  a  Christian  literature. 

Since  the  opening  of  Protestant  work  in  Mexico  not  less  than  sixty-five 
persons  have  given  their  lives  there  as  martyrs  to  the  cause.  In  all  sections 
of  the  country  danger  to  the  evangelical  worker  is  not  a  thing  of  the  past. 
It  is  not  difficult  for  one  who  wishes  to  drive  out  the  enlightened  and  en¬ 
lightening  faith  to  secure  the  services  of  half-intoxicated  Mexicans,  who  will 
be  ready  to  strike  down  some  aggressive  worker.  Such  attacks  are  not  in¬ 
frequent  today,  and  may  be  expected  to  continue  in  a  measure  until  a  marked 
change  comes  over  the  entire  country.  There  are,  however,  few  countries 
in  the  world  where  the  foreign  missionaries  are  safer  and  more  generally  pro¬ 
tected.  They  have  won  a  place  of  honor  and  trust  among  the  people,  which 
is  in  itself  a  great  safeguard. 

THE  WORK  OF  THE  AMERICAN  BOARD. 

The  work  of  the  American  Board  in  Mexico  was  commenced  in  the  city 
of  Guadalajara  in  November,  1872,  by  Revs.  J.  L.  Stephens  and  D.  E.  Wat¬ 
kins.  The  location  was  an  important  one.  Guadalajara,  which 
Guadalajara,  has  since  made  very  material  advance,  was  then  a  city  of  80,000 
inhabitants,  the  capital  of  the  great  State  of  Jalisco.  It  was  the 
religious  and  commercial  center  of  Western  Mexico.  Notwithstanding  severe 
persecution,  a  church  of  seventeen  converts  was  organized  in  December, 
1873.  November  of  that  year  Mr.  Stephens  went  to  Ahualulco,  a  city  of 
5,000  inhabitants,  sixty  miles  to  the  west  of  Guadalajara.  Such  favorable 
interest  was  awakened  by  his  preaching  that  the  leaders  of  the  Roman  church 
were  alarmed.  A  priest  so  aroused  his  audience  by  an  exciting  sermon  that 


lO 


a  mob  was  gathered  and  Mr.  Stephens  was  assassinated.  One  of  the  con¬ 
verts  shared  his  fate,  while  all  were  threatened. 

New  missionaries  were  sent  out  by  the  Board,  and  a  somewhat  rapid 
development  of  the  work  followed.  Rev.  John  Edwards  arrived  in  1875, 
through  a  later  absence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Watkins,  Mr.  Edwards  and  wife 
bore  the  burden  alone  for  two  and  one  half  years.  In  1879  and  Mrs. 

James  K.  Kilbourn  were  transferred  from  the  Monterey  Mission,  but  early 
in  1880  Messrs.  Edwards  and  Kilbourn  were  withdrawn  from  the  field.  In 
the  following  year  Mr.  Watkins’  connection  with  the  Board  was  severed. 
Although  new  missionaries  were  immediately  appointed  to  assume  charge  of 
the  work,  before  their  arrival  it  had  been  turned  over  to  the  representatives 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  who  had  come  to  the  city  for  that 
purpose. 


MISSION  CHURCH  AND  HOUSE  AT  CHIHUAHUA. 

A  new  mission  was  therefore  formed  when,  early  in  1882,  Rev.  M.  A. 
Crawford  and  wife  arrived,  followed  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  by  Rev.  John 
Howland  and  wife.  Miss  B.  M.  Haskins,  and  Rev.  H.  M.  Bissell  and  family. 
Some  seventeen  believers  in  the  village  of  Tlajomulco  preferred  to  retain  their 
connection  with  the  Board,  and  were  afterwards  organized  into  a  church, 
which  has  now  for  many  years  enjoyed  the  ministry  of  a  native  ordained 
pastor,  Miguel  Magdaleno.  The  new  mission  church  at  Guadalajara  was 
organized  in  February,  1885.  Its  growth,  although  slow,  has  been  continu¬ 
ous,  and  its  present  condition  is  prosperous.  The  efforts  of  the  mission  were 
not  confined  to  the  city.  In  1884  Tlajomulco  was  occupied  for  some  months 
by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crawford  and  Miss  Haskins.  A  day  school  was  opened  and 
a  chapel  erected.  In  1885  the  Bissells  moved  to  La  Barca,  an  important 
town  seventy-five  miles  to  the  southeast  of  Guadalajara.  Native  helpers  were 
sent  out  to  many  other  points.  In  no  other  portion  of  the  field  now  occupied 


by  the  Mexican  Mission  has  such  malignant  and  determined  opposition  been 
met  with  as  in  the  State  of  Jalisco. 

An  attempt  was  made  to  hold  Monterey  as  a  mission  station  and  center 
for  work  after  its  transfer  to  the  Board  by  Miss  Rankin  in  1873.  Rev.  John 
Beveridge  was  sent  out  to  occupy  that  station,  and  in  1874  Rev. 
Monterey.  E.  P.  Herrick  and  wife  and  Miss  Caroline  M.  Strong  joined  them, 
followed  a  few  months  later  by  Rev.  J.  K.  Kilbourn.  The  follow¬ 
ing  year  (1875)  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herrick  and  Mr.  Beveridge  withdrew  from  the 
work,  and  in  1877  Miss  Strong  was  forced  to  retire  on  account  of  ill  health. 
An  arrangement  was  entered  into  with  the  Presbyterians  by  which  the  sta¬ 
tion  and  mission  were  transferred  to  them,  and  Mr.  Kilbourn,  in  1879,  went 
to  Guadalajara. 

In  January,  1884,  was  commenced  the  publication  of  La  Estrella  de  la 
Manana  (“The  Morning  Star”)  a  small  weekly  illustrated  paper,  edited  by 
Mrs.  Howland.  After  three  years  this  gave  place  to  El  Testigo  (“  The  Wit¬ 
ness  ”),  a  larger  family  paper,  edited  by  Mr.  Bissell.  The  Testigo,  improved 
and  enlarged,  has  long  been  recognized  as  a  powerful  aid  to  the  cause  of 
truth  in  Mexico.  Mr.  Howland  is  the  present  editor-in-chief. 

The  mission  has  also  translated  many  hymns  into  the  Spanish  language, 
publishing  them  for  evangelistic  purposes.  Other  literature  in  the  Spanish- 
language  has  been  issued  from  time  to  time. 

In  1882  a  new  mission  was  commenced,  having  Chihuahua,  the  capital 
of  the  State  of  Chihuahua,  as  its  principal  center.  Rev.  James  D.  Eaton 
made  a  preliminary  tour  of  the  field  in  April,  and  in  November 
Chihuahua.  he  and  his  family  arrived  in  Chihuahua  to  open  the  work.  At 
this  time  Protestant  Christianity  was  unknown  in  northwestern 
Mexico.  It  was  also  a  region  comparatively  neglected  by  the  Roman  Church, 
there  being  no  resident  bishop  and  few  priests  in  proportion  to  the  popula¬ 
tion.  The  field  in  this  respect  was  a  promising  one,  as  results  have  shown. 
Yet  at  every  point  where  work  has  been  established  more  or  less  determined 
opposition  has  been  experienced.  In  November,  1883,  the  first  converts  in 
Chihuahua  were  baptized,  and  in  April,  1886,  the  church  was  formed,  which 
has  now  more  than  one  hundred  members. 

In  the  spring  of  1884  Rev.  George  A.  Dutton’s  arrival  was  welcomed. 
His  service  of  fourteen  months  was  closed  by  death.  Rev.  Alden  B.  Case 
and  wife  reenforced  the  mission  in  the  fall  of  1884,  and  by  them  a  new  station 
was  opened  at  Parral,  two  hundred  miles  south. 


ENLARGEMENT  AND  COMBINATION. 

In  1886  the  Crawfords  were  transferred  from  Guadalajara  to  Hermosillo, 
the  capital  of  the  large  State  of  Sonora,  which  lies  at  the  northwestern  corner 
of  the  Mexican  Republic.  This  new  station  was  opened  at  that  time  and  was 
occupied  by  the  Crawfords  until  Mr.  Crawford’s  death  in  1897,  the  year  Miss 
Burrows  joined  the  mission  and  the  station.  For  reasons  peculiar  to  Mexico 
her  name  has  been  changed  in  our  records,  by  request,  to  Burris. 


We  will  not  attempt  to  trace  the  detailed  history  of  the  opening  of  the 
different  places  and  the  appointment  and  location  of  the  different  mission¬ 
aries.  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Wright  occupied  Cusihuiriachi,  eighty  miles  west  of 
Chihuahua,  in  1888  as  a  mission  station,  but  were  transferred  to  Ciudad 
Juarez,  upon  the  Rio  Grande,  two  years  later,  where  Mr.  Wright  was  put  in 
charge  of  the  Rio  Grande  Theological  Training  School,  newly  established 
there  for  the  training  of  a  native  ministry.  El  Fuerte,  in  the  State  of 
Sinaloa,  was  opened  in  1891,  and  for  this  purpose  the  Bissells  were  trans¬ 
ferred  from  La  Barca,  which  had  not  proven  to  be  a  fruitful  field.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wagner  joined  the  mission  in  1895,  at  first  going  to  Guadalajara  and 
later  moving  to  the  north,  finally  settling  in  Hermosillo. 


MISSION  CHURCH  AT  GUADALAJARA. 


The  above  outline  gives  the  details  of  the  opening  of  what  were  for  years 
the  two  missions  of  the  American  Board  in  Mexico,  the  first  in  Western 
Mexico,  with  its  center  at  Guadalajara,  the  second  city  in  size  and  importance 
in  the  country  and  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Jalisco.  The  operations  of  this 
mission  were  confined  almost,  if  not  entirely,  to  that  one  large  and  important, 
but  most  bigoted  State.  The  other  mission,  called  the  Northern  Mexican 
Mission,  had  its  center  at  Chihuahua,  and  extended  over  the  State  of  Chi¬ 
huahua,  one  and  a  half  times  the  size  of  New  England,  and  into  two  adjoin¬ 
ing  states  upon  the  west,  Sonora  and  Sinaloa.  After  this  work  was  begun 
railroads  were  opened,  which  joined  together  these  two  missions,  so  that  in 
the  autumn  of  1891  they  were  united  into  one  Mexican  Mission  of  the  Amer¬ 
ican  Board.  This  combination  was  in  the  interest  of  economy  and  unity  of 


13 


administration.  At  the  present  time  (1901)  the  mission  occupies  five  stations, 
namely,  Guadalajara,  Chihuahua,  Parral,  Hermosillo,  and  El  Fuerte.  Each 
one  of  these  important  places  has  become  a  center  of  evangelical  Christian 
activity,  and  each  year  the  work  strengthens. 

THE  FIELD. 

Opposition  to  the  work  in  Jalisco  upon  the  part  of  the  Catholic  ecclesi¬ 
astics  is  more  severe  and  persistent  than  in  the  northwest,  while  in  large  sec¬ 
tions  of  the  states  of  Chihuahua,  Sonora,  and  Sinaloa  there  are  few  priests, 
and  multitudes  of  the  people  are  left  free  to  choose  their  religion  or  to  live 
and  die  without  any.  There  are  many  people,  mostly  Indians,  in  these  states 
who  have  had  no  religious  instruction  whatever,  and  who  are  afforded  no 
educational  privileges  by  the  state.  These  people  in  large  numbers  are  ready 
to  receive  the  Christian  teacher  and  preacher,  and  when  educated  and  Chris¬ 
tianized  they  cannot  fail  to  become  a  positive  force  in  the  life  of  that  country. 

The  four  states  in  which  our  mission  is  carrying  on  its  work  comprise 
about  one  third  of  the  entire  area  of  the  Republic,  or  over  thirty  times  the 
area  of  the  state  of  Massachusetts.  In  the  three  northern  States  there  re¬ 
sides  now  (1901)  only  one  ordained  missionary  not  connected  with  our  own 
Board.  This  northern  country  is  rich  in  mineral  wealth,  and  in  other  ways 
is  full  of  promise  for  the  future. 

Owing  to  the  transfer  of  the  early  work  in  Guadalajara  to  the  Methodists, 
already  referred  to,  it  is  not  out  of  place  to  reckon  the  beginning  of  our 
present  work  in  that  country  from  the  arrival  of  Messrs.  Howland,  Eaton,  and 
Bissell  in  1882. 

METHODS  OF  WORK. 

The  missionaries  have  placed  much  dependence  upon  the  simple  Word 
of  God  read  by  the  people,  and  explained  as  opportunity  offered.  They  have, 
from  the  first,  been  preachers  of  the  Word  and  champions  of  righteousness, 
purity,  and  truth.  By  living  among  the  people  and  showing  by  their  lives 
that  they  are  the  people’s  friends,  they  have  gradually  disarmed  suspicion 
and  lived  down  criticisms.  Doors  have  been  continually  opening,  until  now 
there  is  practically  limitless  opportunity  for  preaching  to  good  audiences  of 
eager  listeners  in  almost  all  parts  of  the  mission.  In  some  sections  of  the 
northwest  there  is  an  earnest  demand  for  the  presentation  of  the  gospel  to 
people  who  seem  eager  to  hear,  and  who  are  not  by  any  means  unresponsive 
to  its  demands. 

Men  and  women  in  large  numbers  have  openly  professed  Christ  as  their 
personal  Saviour  and  have  come  out  from  the  Catholic  Church,  in  which  they 
declared  it  to  be  impossible  for  them  to  remain  and  live  a  Christian  life. 
Churches  of  Mexicans  have  been  formed  in  all  of  the  mission  centers  and  in 
large  towns  outside  as  well,  until  there  are  now  eighteen  of  these  Protestant 
churches  in  connection  with  our  mission,  having  a  membership  of  over  one 
thousand.  Last  year  the  increase  was  nearly  ten  per  cent.  In  addition  to 
the  church  members  there  are  over  1,500  who  have  publicly  taken  a  stand 
with  the  Protestants,  some  of  whom  are  waiting,  upon  probation,  to  join  the 


14 


evangelical  church  when  their  conversion  shall  have  been  thoroughly  tested. 

Excellant  and  substantial  church  buildings  have  been  erected  in  Guada¬ 
lajara,  Chihuahua,  Parral,  Hermosillo,  El  Paso,  upon  the  Texas  side  of  the 
Rio  Grande,  and  in  other  towns  of  the  country.  The  people  themselves  give 
most  liberally  in  some  places  for  the  erection  of  these  houses  of  worship,  in 


-some  cases  themselves  furnishing  the  entire  amount  needed  to  put  up  the 
building. 

EDUCATION. 

It  was  evident  in  the  mission  from  the  first  that  an  evangelical  native 
ministry  was  necessary  for  the  evangelization  of  Mexico.  In  view  of  the  fact 
that  the  Government  was  doing  so  much  for  the  education  of  young  men,  no 


15 


effort  was  made  to  establish  primary  schools  for  boys,  it  being  expected  that 
converted  youth  with  sufficient  primary  and  intermediate  education  could  be 
found  to  take  a  special  course  in  training  for  the  gospel  ministry.  It  was 
expected  that  the  course  of  training  would  be  enlarged  as  the  demands  of  the 
work  increased. 

The  Rio  Grande  Theological  Training  School,  which  was  established  in 
Juarez  in  1890,  and  was  soon  located  across  the  river  in  El  Paso,  was  organ¬ 
ized  and  conducted  for  the  purpose  of  training  a  native  Mexican  ministry. 
This  school  was  supported  in  common  for  a  few  years  by  the  New  West  Edu¬ 
cation  Commission,  and  afterwards  by  the  Congregational  Education  Society, 
and  the  American  Board.  Later  the  Education  Society  withdrew  and  the 
Board  carried  it  on  alone.  The  school  continued  at  El  Paso  under  the  direc¬ 
tion  of  Mr.  Wright  until  into  1900.  During  these  years  many  earnest  Chris¬ 
tian  workers  were  fitted  for  the  field. 

In  1901,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  Education  Society  did  not  desire 
longer  to  cooperate,  and  also  that  El  Paso  was  at  one  side,  and  even  outside 
of  the  mission,  the  school  was  moved  to  Guadalajara  and  put  under  the  joint 
principalship  of  Messrs.  Wright  and  Howland.  Its  scope  was  also  enlarged 
so  as  to  include  some  students  of  special  branches  who  are  not  studying  for 
the  gospel  ministry.  Owing  to  the  opening  of  new  lines  of  railroad,  Guada¬ 
lajara  will  soon  be  as  central  in  the  mission  as  almost  any  other  city.  A  large 
and  central  site  has  been  purchased  for  the  school. 

Boarding  schools  for  girls  were  early  opened  at  Guadalajara  and  Chi¬ 
huahua,  because  only  in  this  way  could  scholars  be  brought  in  from  distant 
towns  and  cities,  and  often  the  country  places  afforded  the 
Girls’  Schools.  brightest  and  most  promising  pupils.  Misses  Haskins,  White, 
and  Long  have  kept  up  this  school  to  the  present  time.  In 
Chihuahua,  for  the  same  reason,  a  school  was  started  by  Miss  Eerris,  which 
grew  into  a  boarding  school.  Miss  Ferris  was  succeeded  by  Misses  Dunning, 
Holcomb,  and  Hammond.  The  school  has  outgrown  its  quarters  several 
times.  In  1900  the  mission,  feeling  the  need  of  more  thorough  normal  train¬ 
ing,  made  the  Chihuahua  school  the  normal  school  of  the  mission. 

The  girls’  school  at  Parral,  under  Miss  Prescott,  has  been  compelled  to 
open  a  boarding  department,  as  has  also  the  one  at  Hermosillo  under  Miss 
Burris.  All  of  these  schools  are  doing  a  most  important  work,  as  it  is  impos¬ 
sible  to  secure  properly  trained  female  teachers  of  any  kind  unless  they  are 
trained  for  this  purpose  by  the  mission.  The  government  schools  are  not 
able  to  provide  teachers  enough  for  their  own  purposes,  so  that  the  superin¬ 
tendent  of  government  schools  has  applied  to  the  missionaries  for  teachers 
for  national  schools. 

The  mission  has  encouraged  and  aided  in  a  small  way  common  or  village 
schools,  but  largely  for  girls  only.  During  the  past  few  years  there  has  been 
such  a  growing  demand  for  schools  in  villages  and  large  towns. 
Village  Schools,  unprovided  for  as  yet  by  the  government,  that  the  mission 
decided  in  1900  to  do  all  in  its  power  to  encourage  the  open¬ 
ing  of  such  schools  under  proper  teachers  and,  as  far  as  possible,  upon  a  self- 
supporting  basis. 


i6 


ENGLISH  CONGREGATIONS. 

Owing  to  the  rapid  mineral  and  commercial  development  of  the  country, 
there  are  many  English  people  in  all  of  the  larger  cities.  As  the  missionaries 
were  not  able  to  ignore  the  spiritual  needs  of  these  people,  services  in  English 
have  been  conducted  for  some  time  each  Sabbath  in  three  places  at  least. 
Chihuahua,  Guadalajara,  and  Parral.  There  being  no  one  else  to  lead  these 
services,  the  missionaries  at  these  places  have  taken  charge.  These  English 
congregations  have  increased  m  numbers  until,  in  1901,  at  Guadalajara  a 
union  cnurcn  was  organized,  and  in  Chihuahua,  previous  to  that  time,  a  Chris- 


THE  RECENT  CONFERENCE  OF  THE  MEXICAN  MISSION. 


tian  society  was  formed  with  over  one  hundred  members.  It  is  not  expected 
that  these  congregations  will  continue  long  to  require  the  services  of  the 
missionaries,  who  are  too  over-burdened  with  their  Mexican  work  to  wisely 
undertake  this  in  addition.  Wherever  the  missionaries  are  serving  as  pastors 
for  t’ne  Mexican  churches,  it  is  considered  only  as  temporary,  until  a  suitable 
Mexican  can  be  found  for  the  place. 

STATISTICS. 

While  the  statistics  of  the  mission  do  not  give  an  adequate  idea  of  the 
extent  of  the  work  or  a  fair  estimate  of  what  has  already  been  accomplished, 
still  they  show  something  that  is  tangible  and  are  enough  in  themselves  to 
demonstrate  that  the  efforts  of  the  past  nineteen  years  have  not  been  in  vain. 


17 


At  the  present  time  there  are  five  stations  occupied  by  Americans  under 
the  Board ;  sixty-three  outstations,  where  there  are  evangelical  Christians  and 
an  established  work ;  twenty  native  workers ;  eighteen  organized  churches, 
with  1,034  communicants  and  2,548  adherents;  twenty-nine  Sunday  schools, 
with  1,207  pupils,  and  336  under  instruction  in  mission  schools.  There  are 
eleven  churches  and  chapel  buildings.  During  the  last  year  reported  the 
people  paid  ^6,154  (Mexican)  for  the  support  of  their  own  Christian  and 
educational  work. 


CONCLUSION. 

This  work  of  the  American  Board  in  the  Republic  of  Mexico  has  been 
established  with  great  sacrifice  and  labor  and  is  the  result  of  much  struggle 
and  prayer.  Gradually  barriers  have  given  way  and  little  by  little  the  field 
has  opened,  until  today  it  is  practically  limitless  for  any  force  we  are  able 
to  sustain  in  the  work.  While  there  is  still  more  or  less  persecution  for 
those  who  separate  themselves  from  the  Old  Church,  and  persistent  opposi¬ 
tion  upon  the  part  of  the  ecclesiastics  to  all  evangelical  effort,  this  is  not 
sufficient  to  deter  those  who  engage  in  the  work  or  to  prevent  the  continual 
growth  of  the  Protestant  communities.  The  spirit  of  enlightenment  and 
inquiry  has  entered  this  sister  Republic,  and  our  missionaries  are  meeting 
this  spirit  with  an  open  gospel  and  a  free  church. 


i8 


LIST  OF  PERSONS  WHO  HAVE  BEEN  MISSIONARIES  OF  THE 


AMERICAN 

BOARD 

IN 

MEXICO. 

Joined 
the  Mission. 

Withdrawn  or 
Deceased. 

Rev.  J.  L.  Stephens 

1872 

1874 

Rev.  David  F.  Watkins 

1872 

1881 

Mrs.  Edna  M.  Watkins 

1872 

1881 

Rev.  John  Beveridge 

1873 

1875 

Rev.  E.  P.  Herrick 

1873 

00 

C/A 

Mrs.  Pamelia  G.  Herrick 

1873 

1875 

Rev.  J.  K.  Kilbourn 

1874 

1880 

Miss  Caroline  M.  Strong 

1874 

1877 

Rev.  G.  F.  G.  Morgan  . 

1874 

00 

Rev.  John  Edwards 

00 

1880 

Mrs.  Mary  J.  Edwards  . 

10 

00 

1880 

Mrs.  j.  K.  Kilbourn 

1879 

1880 

Rev.  M.  a.  Crawford  . 

1882 

1894 

Mrs.  Harriet  J.  Crawford 

1882 

1894 

Rev.  John  Howland 

1882 

Mrs.  Sara  B.  Howland  . 

1882 

Rev.  James  D.  Eaton 

1882 

Mrs.  Gertrude  C.  Eaton 

1882 

Miss  Belle  M.  Haskins  . 

1882 

Rev.  Henry  M.  Bissell  . 

1882 

1900 

Mrs.  'Ella  N.  Bissell 

1882 

1900 

Rev.  George  A.  Dutton 

1884 

1885 

Rev.  Alden  B.  Case 

1884 

1896 

Mrs.  Myra  G.  Case 

1884 

1896 

Rev.  a.  C.  Wright  . 

1886 

Mrs.  Annie  C.  Wright  . 

1886 

Miss  Belle  W.  Ferris  . 

1886 

1888 

Miss  M.  Elizabeth  Keyes 

1886 

1S89 

Miss  Ellen  O.  Prescott 

1888 

Miss  Mary  Dunning 

1889 

Rev.  Otis  C.  Olds  . 

1890 

Mrs.  Helen  S.  Olds 

1892 

1894 

Miss  Florence  White  . 

1892 

1895 

Miss  Mary  F.  Holcomb  . 

1892 

1894 

Rev.  Horace  T.  Wagner 

1894 

Miss  Augusta  J.  Burrows  ( 

or 

Burris) 

1894 

Miss  M.  Lizzie  Hammond 

1894 

Mrs.  Della  McC.  Wagner 

IS95 

Mrs.  Helen  C.  Olds 

1897 

Miss  Mary  F.  Long 

1897 

Miss  Isabel  Miller 

1897 

1899 

19 


LOCATION  OF  THE  MISSIONARIES  IN  MEXICO  IN  1901. 

Rev.  John  Howland . Guadalajara. 

Mrs.  Sara  B.  Howland .  “ 

Rev.  Alfred  C.  Wright .  “ 

Mrs.  Annie  C.  Wright .  “ 

Miss  Belle  Haskins .  “ 

Miss  Mary  F.  Long .  “ 

Rev.  James  D.  Eaton,  d.  d . Chihuahua. 

Mrs.  Gertrude  C.  Eaton .  “ 

Miss  Mary  Dunning .  “ 

Miss  M.  Lizzie  Hammond .  “ 

Rev.  Otis  C.  Olds . Parral. 

Mrs.  Helen  C.  Olds .  “ 

Miss  Ellen  O.  Prescott  _ .  “ 

Rev.  Horace  T.  Wagner . Hermosillo. 

Mrs.  Della  McC.  Wagner  .  ,  “ 

Miss  Augusta  J.  Burrows  (Burris)  ...  “ 

CONNECTED  WITH  THE  MISSION  BUT  NOT  UNDER  APPOINTMENT. 

Rev.  L.  H.  Jamison . El  Fuerte. 

Mrs.  L.  H.  Jamison .  “ 


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.T/iaii  TViici'iA  'luvi  TUii  v:o!?.i'.iw: 


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womKAl  -II  -1  is 

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